Obstruction

December 15, 2017Letters to the Editor

Since May 8, House Bill 722 has languished in the State Government Committee.

HB 722 would create a non-partisan legislative reapportionment commission, similar to Arizona’s, whose job would be to fairly draw federal district lines for proper representation in the U.S. Congress and end gerrymandering in Pennsylvania. This would replace the majority party as the group responsible for creating voting districts after the once-a-decade Census.

HB 722 has 99 co-sponsors so it is a well supported bill. But the chairman of the committee and my state representative, Daryl Metcalfe, has held up a hearing for the bill and has promised that the bill will die due to frustrated protesters getting arrested in his office because he would not return calls or hold a meeting with them about this bill.

By stating that the bill is dead, the chair has shown disrespect for his colleagues.

Please urge your state representative to add their name to the list of sponsors for a bipartisan bill that would take power away from both parties and give it back to citizens. It is time that politicians stop picking their voters so voters can return to picking their politicians.